SOO.pdf

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES (SOO)

FARMERS’MARKET PROGRAM SUPPORT SERVICES

PURPOSE:

The Government seeks a qualified Offeror to assist the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to 1) Establish a process FNS will use to award support grants to eligible farmers’ markets and (2) Establish a process to provide replacement

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefits Transaction (SNAP EBT) equipment and services for farmers’ markets and direct-marketing farmers that are currently participating in SNAP while in situations of hardship. “Farmers’ markets” are defined as multi-stall markets at which farmer-producers sell food products (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, grains, etc.) directly to the general public, at a central or fixed location. “Direct-marketing farmers” are defined as farmer-producers of food products sold directly to the public.

BACKGROUND:

USDA is committed to supporting local food systems and expanding access for SNAP participants’ to healthy foods. Therefore, USDA has made it a priority to help more farmers’ markets become SNAP-authorized and maintain their participation in the program.

In fiscal year (FY) 2012, FNS provided $4 million to SNAP State agencies to expand the availability of wireless point-of-sale (POS) equipment in farmers’ markets not currently participating in SNAP, by providing such equipment and services to eligible markets and direct-marketing farmers. States were able to retain and use these funds through FY13 and

FY14, and will be allowed to retain and use them through FY16. For the sake of clarity, FNS continues to refer to these monies as “FY12 Funds.”

In FY 2013, FNS received an additional $4 million to provide wireless POS equipment in farmers’ markets not currently participating in SNAP. These funds were awarded to a contractor, who was tasked with identifying and recruiting eligible farmers’ markets and direct-marketing farmers to become SNAP-authorized, assisting them through that process, and providing them with such equipment. That contract will be extended for an additional year. For the sake of clarity, FNS refers to these funds as the “FY13 Contract.”

The Food and Nutrition Service: 2014, Explanatory Notes, the President’s budget for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for FY14, provides $4,000,000 to “support the participation of farmers’ markets in SNAP by providing equipment and support grants to new markets and those currently participating in the program.” This language provides greater flexibility than that governing FY12 Funds and the FY13 Contract, which can only be used to obtain wireless point-of-sale (POS) equipment and services for farmers’ markets not currently participating in

SNAP and direct-marketing farmers participating at such markets.

With FY12 Funds remaining available through FY16, and the FY13 Contract being extended, FNS expects to have sufficient funds to satisfy demand for SNAP EBT equipment by newly authorized markets through FY15. As such, FNS believes FY14 funds can most effectively be used by contracting with entities that have experience working with the farmers’ market community -- such as, but not limited to, nonprofit organizations -- to provide markets and farmers with different types of assistance. The most commonly requested types of assistance are, in descending order:

1. Personnel costs to operate farmers’ markets;

2. Materials to materials to inform SNAP participants of their ability to use their benefits at farmers’ markets;

3. Miscellaneous equipment, such as scrip, and technology infrastructure (wifi hotspots, phone lines, electrical lines, etc.).

4. Replacement equipment for existing markets and farmers that are in situations of hardship;

The purpose of this contract will be to address needs #1, #2, and #3 above, in the form of support grants for eligible farmers’ markets, and to separately address #4, to (replacement equipment for eligible markets and direct-marketing farmers). FNS expects that, of the $4 million in FY14 Funds, approximately $3.3 million will be used for support grants, while the remaining $700,000 will be spent on replacement equipment.

SCOPE:

The Offeror shall, subject to FNS input, review, and approval: (1) Establish a process FNS will use to award support grants to eligible farmers’ markets and (2) Establish a process to provide replacement SNAP EBT equipment and services for farmers’ markets and direct-marketing farmers that are currently participating in SNAP and are also in situations of hardship relative to the replacement of point-of-sale equipment and related services.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES/REQUIRED RESULTS:

Objectives:

1. Establish a process that FNS will use to award support grants to eligible farmers’ markets. This will include, but not be limited to, development and implementation of:

a. Objective criteria that FNS will use to (1) evaluate applications for grants, (2) determine which farmers’ markets are eligible for grants, and (3) govern the use of the funds.

b. A process that FNS will use to solicit applications for support grants from eligible farmers’ markets throughout the nation.

c. A process that FNS will use to evaluate applications for support grants.

d. A process to monitor the use of grant funds and, when necessary, take corrective action.

2. Establish a process to provide replacement SNAP EBT equipment and services for farmers’ markets and direct-marketing farmers currently participating in SNAP and are also in situations of hardship. This will include, but not be limited to, development and implementation of:

a. Objective criteria that will be used to determine which markets and farmers are eligible for replacement SNAP EBT equipment and services.

b. A process to identify markets and farmers throughout the nation that are eligible for such equipment.

c. A process to communicate with such markets and farmers and inform them of this opportunity.

d. A process to provide such markets and farmers with replacement EBT equipment, and ensure that, upon receipt of such equipment/services, they are prepared to use those resources to redeem SNAP benefits

Results:

1. FNS will use the criteria and procedures developed as a result of this contract to award approximately $3.3 million in support grants. Generally, the support grants must provide:

a. Funds to pay for personnel costs associated with operating SNAP at farmers’ markets;

b. Funds to pay for the design, printing, and/or purchase posters, signage, brochures, pamphlets, and similar allowable media intended to inform/educate current SNAP participants of their ability to use their benefits at farmers’ markets.

c. Funds to pay for miscellaneous equipment, such as scrip, and technology infrastructure

(wifi hotspots, phone lines, electrical lines, etc.) reasonably necessary for a farmers’ market to operate SNAP.

2. Provide replacement SNAP EBT equipment, per the criteria and procedures developed as a result of this contract. FNS expects to spend $700,000 on replacement equipment.

OPERATING CONSTRAINTS:

1. Offeror must be able to work effectively with, and take direction from, FNS staff, as both major Objectives, and related sub-tasks, will need to be completed with significant input, review, and approval of agency personnel.

2. To be awarded this contract, Offeror must submit a bid that is highly competitive, in terms of the cost of administering the contract. In other words: During the scoring of contract proposals, FNS will place heavy emphasis on the proposed costs of administering the contract.

3. Offeror must determine which sub-tasks, in addition to those delineated in this Request for

Proposals, will be necessary to accomplish the two Objectives of this contract.

4. Grant funds, to the extent they are used to pay for a farmers’ market’s personnel costs, must only be used to support SNAP-related activities. In other words, the funds must solely be used for activities related to the operation of SNAP at the farmers’ markets, rather than non-SNAP farmers’ market operations.

5. Grant funds, to the extent they are used to pay for a farmers’ market personnel costs, must adhere to applicable labor laws and regulations, such as State and local minimum wages, and the United States Department of Labor approved prevailing wage, meaning that the hourly wage will vary by locality.

6. Grant funds shall not be used to encourage individuals to apply to participate in SNAP.

7. Grant funds must not be used to pay for television, radio, or billboard ads of any kind.

8. Offeror will be held accountable for ensuring miscellaneous equipment and technology are acquired at competitive prices.

9. Offeror must have the ability to provide replacement SNAP EBT equipment and services to eligible markets and farmers throughout the nation.

10. Offeror must have the ability to provide technical assistance to ensure eligible markets and farmers can operate their replacement equipment and services.

11. Offerer will be held accountable for ensuring replacement SNAP EBT equipment is leased and/or purchased at competitive prices.

12. The actual awarding of grants (i.e., the decision to award a grant or not) is an inherently governmental function. As such, the Offeror will assist in the establishment the proposed grant system, and may even participate in the review of grant applications, but is strictly prohibited from deciding which entities receive grants.

13. Offeror must develop a system to track the use of funds, equipment, services, and materials provided through this project, provide FNS with quarterly reports on that subject, and be capable of providing ad hoc reports/data throughout the length of the contract.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: TBD

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: TBD